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Sneaky Snacks and Indian Cauliflower Stew

PART ONE-SNEAKY SNACKS

I have this theory that if you cook your kids healthy food and you give them no other options they will eat the food. Call me crazy but as the adult in charge (at this stage of their lives) they don't have a lot of choices on what to eat. We do that on purpose. Limit choices. Like between stuff that's good for them and stuff that is great for them. Its not to say that they won't get ice cream and cake on their birthdays, but the other 364 days a year they eat pretty damn well. They really don't have much choice. We don't force feed them. If they are not interested in eating what is prepared for them then they don't eat until the next meal is served. No snacks, no juice. Just the food we prepare.

My wife is out of town for a week so I am solo parenting (with some M-F daytime help from our live-in child-therapist-Reiki-practitioner-miracle worker Michelle who we trade room and board for 15 hrs a week of her services). I decided to take the kids to the movies this afternoon and thinking ahead to the requests for greasy popcorn, soda, and candy I made the decision to sneak in our own movie snacks. So we popped oil and salt-free popcorn (dressed with braggs, almond "parmesan", and Valle de sol Chile powder), an apple, fruit leather, a pouch of fruit puree, and a small container of raw almonds and dried cranberries. We also packed a bottle of water. We stuffed all our organic contraband in my older sons back pack just to play it cool. IT WAS GREAT! nobody even complained. I know I am blessed with the best kids. The reason I am telling you all of this though is that they don't think to question it. The snacks were satisfying and very movie going friendly. It felt great. I hope someone out there is reading this and thinking yeah! WTF? I don't have to shovel garbage into my kids mouths just because they are selling garbage at the theater, or the farmer's market, or the grocery store. Just cause whole foods always has mac and cheese on the hot bar doesn't make it the best choice for your lunch or your kids Friday night dinner. Just sayin'.

PART TWO-INDIAN CAULIFLOWER STEW

When we got home it was getting time for dinner and this kinda ratty looking head of cauliflower is staring at me from the veggie drawer (as it had been for the last week and a half). I knew tonight was the night. I had nought a spice packet of Gobi Aloo in hopes of saving this once-beautiful head of veg from the compost. This recipe was totally thrown together and it really turned out tasty. In fact when I served it to the kids, Omarian, my older one said,"can we eat this every night this week?". He looked like he was gonna cry when I said no. God Love him! I want to point out that there have been nights where he has exclaimed his hatred for cauliflower. I didn't get a peep from him tonight. I also didn't give him a choice between frozen veggies or salad or the stew. It was just THE STEW. I think it really helps the younger kids to not have to make these kinds of choices. He dug right it. His little sister picked through it and ate nothing BUT the cauliflower until I spooned a bunch of rice in her mouth and finally explained that the grindstone gluten-free seeded toast that we were getting as a reward for finishing our bowls of stew would not be made available to her until she finished the stew. That was the end of that stand off.

Alright, well I've preached enough and your probably sick of my parenting theories by now so let's get top that recipe!

heat a dutch oven or other cast iron type soup pot on high heat.
Add onions cook with the lid on to trap the moisture for about 2 minutes.
Stir add carrots and celery. Place lid back on and cook for 2 more minutes.
Add spice mix, cauliflower, broth, tahini, diced tomatoes, and enough water to just about cover the veggies.
Bring to a boil then then lower heat to simmer partially cover with lid and cook for 30 minutes.
Check the spice level and add black pepper and any more spice that you desire to taste.
Recommended spices-chili powder, coriander, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, garam masala.

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